The right moo-ve

One man is ‘udderly’ convinced that when it comes to skincare, honesty is indeed the best policy.

WHAT do an airforce pilot, cows and skincare have in common (and no, this isn’t the beginning of a bad joke)? A little Australian brand called MooGoo, that’s what.

A skincare line founded by airforce pilot Craig Jones in Perth, Australia, MooGoo has its humble beginnings in the cream used in dairy farms to keep cows’ udders in good condition. The same cream has also been used by people with skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis, a fact that Jones was well-acquainted with, since his mother used it. He realised, however, that the cream was too thick and oily for practical use, and decided to come up with his own version of it.

Through trial and error in his kitchen, the “udder cream” was born, which soon became popular among his family and friends, who started calling it “moo goo” (“moo” as in “cow” and “goo” as in “cream”). Soon, he was so busy making skincare products that he left his job as a pilot and focused on MooGoo full-time. This was the start of the MooGoo Skincare, a range of skincare products for people with sensitive skin and scalps, most of which were cooked up in Jones’ own kitchen.

Now headquartered in Queensland, MooGoo has amassed a cult following of loyal customers who swear by its open and honest approach. Malaysia is the first Asian country to import the brand (since 2010) and Jones was recently in Kuala Lumpur to promote it. The 44-year-old is refreshingly honest when it comes to talking about selling skincare. In fact, he is the first to admit that making these products are much easier than it may seem.

“Making skincare products is not as complicated as many companies would like you to think,” he explains. “All those pictures of ‘experts’ in lab coats are for marketing; it is far, far simpler in real life, especially with the information being more freely available online now. If you’ve got the passion for it, you can make most of the products at home, and take it from me, it is really, really satisfying,” says Jones.

Priding itself on being all-natural and environmentally-friendly, the products are also free of paraffin oil (mineral oil), sodium laureth sulfates (SLS) and parabens, which have been linked to skin irritation and other health issues. In fact, Jones proudly states that his products are so natural that they are edible (not that he’s asking you to ingest it, of course)!

MooGoo Skincare currently includes moisturising creams, haircare, soap and body wash, deodorants, lip balms, face cleansers and eye serums, as well as specialty creams for specific skin concerns. According to Jones, some of their star products are the Irritable Skin Balm, the Anti-Ageing Face Cream, the Full Cream moisturiser, and the Milk Shampoo.

He further points out that their labels list every ingredient contained in the product and not just the actives as many cosmetics do.

“Just like when it comes to food, we want to know what we’re putting into our bodies, I believe we need to know what we’re putting on our skin,” he says.

Consumers, he adds, need to educate themselves on the products they use, by researching ingredients on the Internet, and even looking for research results.

“I do think that society has been marketed into a position. A more expensive product will not necessarily work better and a list of exotic-sounding ingredients may not serve any purpose. As consumers, we should look at the ingredients and forget the marketing.”

“The thing with skin problems is that there is no one solution. What may work wonderfully for one person may not work for another. So the best thing to do is to be aware of what you are using and try different products until you find one that works best for you,” he concludes.